Changes

==Ubaid==

What this suggests is that there might not be a clear reason as to why humans begin to have large-scale social inequality. Whatever the reason may have been, the evidence for social inequality is evident by the 6-5th millennium BCE. Perhaps some of the clearest evidence for this in the Ubaid culture (Figure 1) comes from the development of religious institutions. Here, we begin to see large temples, specifically at the site of Eridu in southern Mesopotamia, gaining much greater levels of wealth and resources, not to mention its architectural size increases substantially from previous periods, than other institutions or individuals in society.<ref>For evidence of religious structures, and likely institutions, gaining greater power and authority in the Ubaid, see: Stein, Gil. 1994. “Economy, Ritual, and Power in Ubaid Mesopotamia". In: ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1881094073/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1881094073&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=eb271794cbdee215189ec9eaa744b8cf Chiefdoms and Early States in the Near East: The Organizational Dynamics of Complexity]'', edited by Gil Stein and Mitchell Rothman. Madison (WI), pg. 35-46.</ref> Larger structures, perhaps administrative buildings, also begin to emerge in settlements, such as at Tell Abada, that are also separated from other parts of settlements, showing that these individuals or institutions began to be separated from others. This physical separation, distinct through walls and also much larger structures within the walls, becomes a hallmark in Mesopotamian societies even in later periods.<ref>For further information about Tell Abada, see: Jasim, Sabah Abboud, and Joan Oates. 1986. “Early Tokens and Tablets in Mesopotamia: New Information from Tell Abada and Tell Brak.” ''World Archaeology'' 17 (3): 348–62. doi:10.1080/00438243.1986.9979975.</ref>